![\"Hollywood](\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/hollywoodfeed-homepage.png\" "\\"Hollywood")
<\/p><\/figure>\n
To get the upper hand, you\u2019ll need to understand how they\u2019re driving traffic and converting customers, answering questions like:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Which channels bring the most visits and sales?<\/li>\n
- How much of their traffic is organic vs. paid?<\/li>\n
- Which pages, platforms, and campaigns are working best?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In this guide, you\u2019ll learn how to run a competitor analysis to find the answers to these questions and more \u2014 regardless of your brand, industry, and experience.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"|](\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" "\\"|")
<\/figure>\n\n\n
Free resource:<\/strong> You can follow along with our Competitive Analysis Worksheet<\/a>. Just open it up in another tab, and use this article as a guide to fill it out for your top 3-5 competitors.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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\n <\/cite>\n <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n![\"Competitive](\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/competitive-traffic-analysis-worksheet-backlinko-scaled.png\" "\\"Competitive")
<\/p><\/figure>\nBefore you start, this guide assumes you\u2019ve already covered the basics.<\/p>\n
You know your ideal customer. You\u2019ve nailed your positioning. You\u2019re clear on the category or niche you\u2019re competing in.<\/p>\n
If not, start here: The Complete Guide to Market Research<\/a><\/p>\n
It\u2019ll make everything in this guide way more useful.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start by identifying your real competition.<\/p>\n